Since Congress designated MLK Day as a national day of service in 1994, it has become a time for Americans to transform King’s dream into action—a ‘day on,’ not a day off. Cal Poly Humboldt has embraced this call to service, making the event a tradition that strengthens community bonds and creates solutions to local challenges.
"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us the power of community engagement to bring people together and create lasting change. On this day, we honor his legacy not by taking time off but by rolling up our sleeves to strengthen our community, solve problems, and build connections that inspire hope and action,” says Melea Smith, Youth Education Services (Y.E.S.) coordinator.
From campus to community centers, volunteers tackled diverse projects that ranged from revitalizing local spaces to preserving natural habitats. This year, teams of volunteers worked on community-enhancing projects at the Boys and Girls Club of the Redwoods, Jefferson Community Center, Northcoast Regional Land Trust, and the University’s own OhSNAP! Food Pantry.
At the OhSNAP! Food Pantry, volunteers sorted stacks of canned goods, folded donated clothes, and carefully arranged shelves to ensure students have what they need to thrive during the semester. Meanwhile, at the Jefferson Community Center, the sound of rakes scraped against gravel as volunteers planted trees along the sidewalk, prepping and planting winter garden beds, while volunteers inside organized the center’s library and family resource center.
"MLK Day with Y.E.S. has become a tradition. From our inception, participants from the University have come and invested their time and talents in beautifying and building up our Community Center. The Jefferson Community Center, located in a formerly abandoned school, is founded and led by neighbors in the most ethnically diverse and lowest median income section of Eureka. Through volunteerism and community support, together we have created the bustling, beautiful heartbeat of our neighborhood,” says Heidi Benzonelli, president of Westside Community Improvement Association.
Similarly, at the Boys and Girls Club of the Redwoods in Eureka, volunteers cleaned and organized program spaces, including garden projects at the Eureka Clubhouse.
Volunteers were removing invasive plants and shoveling dirt at the Freshwater Farms Reserve Nature Trail to enhance wetland restoration projects and improve the Freshwater Farms Reserve Nature Trail, a 74-acre property of protected wetlands and pastures.
For many volunteers, the event was about more than giving back—it was about personal growth and connection.
“After attending my first MLK Day of Service event, I really look forward to being able to participate in future events like this one on campus and in the community. It was super rewarding being able to connect with peers in a face-to-face setting and share the significance of the holiday while giving back and building community with one another,” Social Work graduate student Autumn Cry-Mark says.
MLK Day of Service is a chance to give back to the community and there will be more volunteering opportunities. Learn more about how you can get involved at yes.humboldt.edu/mlk.